Council Urges Every Eligible Person to Receive COVID-19 Vaccination
June 9, 2021 | We, the members of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, urge every eligible person in our faith communities and in our region to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and to ensure that it is available to all.
As people of faith, we are called to protect and defend the dignity of all human beings. We also are called to speak for the rights of others and to remind fellow citizens of their responsibilities to the community. This obligation binds us all as part of the human family. Every single vaccination makes our community stronger and safer.
The pandemic has ravaged the most vulnerable members of our community. As faith leaders, we have a particular responsibility to speak for the needs of the poor, the sick, and the marginalized. No one should be prevented from receiving the vaccines, and workers should be granted time for both vaccination and recovery.
Our responsibility for others leads us to urge everyone who is eligible to receive the vaccine which offers effective protection against the virus. We encourage those who have questions or specific health conditions to consult with a medical professional. We also urge those who choose not to be vaccinated for reasons of conscience or on advice of a physician to remain vigilant in protecting the welfare of those who remain at risk.
We applaud the scientists, health workers, public officials, and numerous volunteers who produce and deliver these vaccines. Please do your part to bring healing to our community by getting vaccinated.
Bishop John Franklin White
The Rev. Dr. Walter E. Johnson, Jr.
African Methodist Episcopal Church
The Rev. Joel D. Miles
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
The Rev. Dr. David Gregg
American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich
The Very Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Baima
Dr. Daniel J. Olsen
Archdiocese of Chicago
The Rev. Fr. Andreas Garabedian
Armenian Orthodox Church, Eastern Diocese
The Rev. Dr. William H. Foster, Jr.
Baptist General Convention of Illinois
Ms. Asayo Horibe
Dr. Rahul Deepanka
Buddhist Council of the Midwest
Ms. Shayda Safapour
Chicago Bahá’í Community
Rabbi Reni Dickman
Rabbi Yehiel E. Poupko
Chicago Board of Rabbis
Pastor Billy Jermale Evans
Church of God in Christ, First Jurisdiction Illinois
President Morgan Dubiel
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Mr. G. Abdullah Mitchell
Imam Kareem M. Irfan
Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago
Bishop-elect Paula Clark
Episcopal Diocese of Chicago
Bishop Simon Gordon
Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International, Midwest Region
His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago
Dr. Mukesh M. Doshi
Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago
Bishop Yehiel Curry
Metropolitan Chicago Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Right Rev. Paul
Orthodox Church in America
The Rev. Susan Davis Krummel
The Rev. Dr. Barbara Wilson
Presbytery of Chicago
Mr. E. Garnet Fay
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra
Sikh Religious Society
The Very Rev. Volodymyr Kushnir
Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy
Eparchial Bishop Daniel
Ukrainian Orthodox Church
The Rev. Karen Mooney
Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, Chicago Chapter
The Rev. Dr. Johnny L. Miller
United Baptist State Convention of Illinois
Bishop John Hopkins
The Rev. Arlene W. Christopherson
United Methodist Church, Northern Illinois Conference
Swami Varadananda
Vivekananda (Hindu) Vedanta Society of Chicago
Mr. Rohinton Rivetna
Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago
Sr. Barbara Reid, O.P.
Rev. Donald Senior, C.P.
Catholic Theological Union
The Rev. Dr. Stephen G. Ray, Jr.
Chicago Theological Seminary
The Rev. James Nieman, Ph.D.
Ms. Sara Trumm
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Mr. David H. Crawford, J.D.
The Rev. Nannette Banks
McCormick Theological Seminary
Dr. Elias Ortega
Meadville Lombard Theological School
The Rev. Dr. Waltrina N. Middleton
Community Renewal Society
Pastor Lou Ramos
Illinois Hispanic Pastoral Coalition
Ms. Barbara J. Abrajano
Partners for Sacred Places
The Rev. Wayne N. Miller
Rabbi Michael Balinsky
The Rev. Dr. Stanley L. Davis, Jr.
As people of faith, we are called to protect and defend the dignity of all human beings. We also are called to speak for the rights of others and to remind fellow citizens of their responsibilities to the community. This obligation binds us all as part of the human family. Every single vaccination makes our community stronger and safer.
The pandemic has ravaged the most vulnerable members of our community. As faith leaders, we have a particular responsibility to speak for the needs of the poor, the sick, and the marginalized. No one should be prevented from receiving the vaccines, and workers should be granted time for both vaccination and recovery.
Our responsibility for others leads us to urge everyone who is eligible to receive the vaccine which offers effective protection against the virus. We encourage those who have questions or specific health conditions to consult with a medical professional. We also urge those who choose not to be vaccinated for reasons of conscience or on advice of a physician to remain vigilant in protecting the welfare of those who remain at risk.
We applaud the scientists, health workers, public officials, and numerous volunteers who produce and deliver these vaccines. Please do your part to bring healing to our community by getting vaccinated.
Bishop John Franklin White
The Rev. Dr. Walter E. Johnson, Jr.
African Methodist Episcopal Church
The Rev. Joel D. Miles
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
The Rev. Dr. David Gregg
American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich
The Very Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Baima
Dr. Daniel J. Olsen
Archdiocese of Chicago
The Rev. Fr. Andreas Garabedian
Armenian Orthodox Church, Eastern Diocese
The Rev. Dr. William H. Foster, Jr.
Baptist General Convention of Illinois
Ms. Asayo Horibe
Dr. Rahul Deepanka
Buddhist Council of the Midwest
Ms. Shayda Safapour
Chicago Bahá’í Community
Rabbi Reni Dickman
Rabbi Yehiel E. Poupko
Chicago Board of Rabbis
Pastor Billy Jermale Evans
Church of God in Christ, First Jurisdiction Illinois
President Morgan Dubiel
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Mr. G. Abdullah Mitchell
Imam Kareem M. Irfan
Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago
Bishop-elect Paula Clark
Episcopal Diocese of Chicago
Bishop Simon Gordon
Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International, Midwest Region
His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago
Dr. Mukesh M. Doshi
Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago
Bishop Yehiel Curry
Metropolitan Chicago Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Right Rev. Paul
Orthodox Church in America
The Rev. Susan Davis Krummel
The Rev. Dr. Barbara Wilson
Presbytery of Chicago
Mr. E. Garnet Fay
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra
Sikh Religious Society
The Very Rev. Volodymyr Kushnir
Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy
Eparchial Bishop Daniel
Ukrainian Orthodox Church
The Rev. Karen Mooney
Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, Chicago Chapter
The Rev. Dr. Johnny L. Miller
United Baptist State Convention of Illinois
Bishop John Hopkins
The Rev. Arlene W. Christopherson
United Methodist Church, Northern Illinois Conference
Swami Varadananda
Vivekananda (Hindu) Vedanta Society of Chicago
Mr. Rohinton Rivetna
Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago
Sr. Barbara Reid, O.P.
Rev. Donald Senior, C.P.
Catholic Theological Union
The Rev. Dr. Stephen G. Ray, Jr.
Chicago Theological Seminary
The Rev. James Nieman, Ph.D.
Ms. Sara Trumm
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Mr. David H. Crawford, J.D.
The Rev. Nannette Banks
McCormick Theological Seminary
Dr. Elias Ortega
Meadville Lombard Theological School
The Rev. Dr. Waltrina N. Middleton
Community Renewal Society
Pastor Lou Ramos
Illinois Hispanic Pastoral Coalition
Ms. Barbara J. Abrajano
Partners for Sacred Places
The Rev. Wayne N. Miller
Rabbi Michael Balinsky
The Rev. Dr. Stanley L. Davis, Jr.
